30 Minute BLT Pasta Salad

This BLT pasta salad is an easy lunch all summer long and a new favorite for backyard barbeques! It comes together in a snap (yes, even with the bacon – I have a secret to share with you!), and manages to combine the familiar comfort of a BLT sandwich with a tangy balsamic dressing – that doesn’t have any mayonnaise or ranch – and perfectly al dente pasta!!

 

You Will Love This

You really can’t go wrong with the savory, sweet, fresh flavors of a BLT and now we’re bringing it to the people in a pasta salad with no mayo or ranch—just a creamy, homemade dressing and a tang of balsamic. Need more BLT dinners in your life? Don’t miss this BLT Puff Pastry Tart!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Pasta – Rotini pasta is a classic choice for cold pasta salad, but you can use penne or farfalle (bowties) or whatever you like best.
• Crispy Bacon – Did you know there’s a better way to get crispy bacon crumbles than standing over a hot stove and getting burned by flying hot oil? I give you: baking bacon.
• Grape Tomatoes – It’s literally not a BLT without the T. Grape tomatoes are fun size and meaty enough to add the perfect T to this pasta salad! 
• Romaine or Arugula – Arugula has a zesty, peppery flavor. Romaine is milder in flavor but has a better crunch.
• Homemade Croutons – Croutons are the toast in our BLT pasta salad recipe, plus everyone loves croutons. In fact, probably the only thing people love more than croutons is homemade herby garlic croutons.
• Red/Green Onion – Every pasta salad needs an onion, this one gets two! Raw red onion packs an assertive flavor and crunch. Green onions are a fresh garnish after the sauce.
• Sour Cream – Sour cream is the base for this creamy dressing, so I recommend getting a good organic, full-fat sour cream. 
• Milk – Milk is going to thin the dressing so it can evenly coat every nook and cranny of your pasta. I find that 2% works best, but you can substitute whatever kind of milk you have.
• Olive Oil – I like a good, organic, cold-pressed olive oil for its rich, deep flavors—especially when it’s going in a dressing to be eaten raw. 
• Balsamic Vinegar – Balsamic vinegar is the key to this dressing. It adds the perfect tang and depth of flavor without being overpowering.
• Dijon Mustard – Dijon mustard gives this dressing a bit of an unexpected (but delightful) tang. If Dijon isn’t your thing, you can use yellow mustard instead.
• Fresh Dill – A touch of fresh dill meets the mustard tang but with a fresh, green flavor. You can use dried dill if you need to, but remember to reduce the amount to about ⅔ of a teaspoon instead of 2 teaspoons.
• Garlic Powder – Zesty garlic is the finishing touch in this dressing, and powdered garlic just blends in more than minced fresh garlic.

Instructions

Add cooled pasta, crumbled bacon, tomatoes, greens, croutons, red onion, and green onion to a large bowl. 

Combine sour cream, milk, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, dill, garlic powder, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper in a large measuring cup until smooth and creamy. 

Drizzle dressing over pasta salad and gently toss to coat.

Garnish with sliced green onion and enjoy!

Tips

• Adjust the dressing ingredients to suit your taste. I like to add a couple extra splashes of balsamic vinegar because I like a more acidic dressing. Sometimes I’ll add extra fresh dill if I have some on hand as well!
• This pasta salad tastes best when eaten fresh! As we all know, croutons get soggy when they sit in a salad and even the bacon loses a bit of its crunch when it’s tossed in dressing. If you want to make this pasta salad ahead of time, wait to add the crispy croutons and crumbled bacon until just before serving to preserve their integrity!

FAQ

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